Veterans’ Affairs not doing enough for vets: poll

Most Canadians are unaware of the government department responsible for Canada’s veterans — and more than half of Canadians think the government isn’t doing enough to provide for retired soldiers — according to a new survey.

Only 30 per cent of Canadians knew Veterans Affairs Canada was in charge of veterans benefits, while only 15 per cent were familiar with the agency, according to a survey conducted for VAC by polling company Harris/Decima.

The nine minute telephone survey, conducted in April with 1,000 adults across the country, also found that only 1 in 10 Canadians were aware of any of the benefits the department makes available to veterans of both world wars, Cold War deployments and those who served in more recent missions in Somalia, Rwanda and Afghanistan. The results are considered a “representative sample” of Canadians as a whole.

The survey also found that, while most Canadians know little to nothing about the role of the VAC, they also think it isn’t doing enough to care for the nation’s vets. More than half of Canadians said they weren’t satisfied with the work of the department, with 32 per cent saying VAC should be doing “a lot more.”

“Although there was low awareness of VAC services, a majority of Canadians felt VAC should be doing more to serve the needs of Canada’s veterans,” the survey summary said. “Nationally, 32 (per cent) flet VAC should be doing a lot more, while 26 (per cent) felt VAC should be doing a little more.”

News that Canadians are ill-informed about the department and dissatisfied with its performance comes following criticism from veterans and lawmakers about the government’s role in providing vets with necessary services and benefits. Critics argue that despite public expressions of appreciation — such as millions of dollars in restoration for local war monuments, charismatic photo-op events with Conservative lawmakers and an injection of $28 million in advertising and marketing related to the War of 1812 — the federal government is not meeting veterans’ needs.

Criticism has centered on outdated regulations governing funeral and burial benefits after it surfaced that 66 per cent of veterans applying for a federal funeral subsidy have been turned down since 2006. A group of six plaintiffs is also suing the federal government over the new Veterans Charter they say discriminates against disabled vets.

Jean-Pierre Goyer, the executive director of the Last Post Fund, an independent group that has distributed funeral and burial services on VAC’s behalf for decades, said it was “shameful” the government had not raised the subsidy amount to reflect current funeral costs, and has excluded recent veterans — those serving after 1953 — from the funeral fund. If the veterans did not receive disability compensation, they were not eligible to access the fund.

Goyer added that those who did qualify for the fund are barred from full benefits if the assets of their spouses total more than $12,015.

Goyer was surprised at the survey findings pointing to limited public knowledge of VAC, but said negative perceptions of the department likely are related to rising concern about the state of veterans in the country.

“Canadian public opinion is that the government should be doing this,” Goyer said of funeral reforms. “It’s become more sensitive that the government needs to do more.”

“(But) our prime minister and the government of Canada don’t think it’s a priority.”

Lorne McCartney, dominion secretary-treasurer for the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada Association, said the survey findings were disappointing but not surprising considering the average Canadian’s lack of engagement in current affairs. He said the fact that Canadians know so little about the department and its benefits will only serve the agenda of the Conservative government.

“Now they have a reason to put out more press releases and photo ops,” McCartney said, adding that his opinion did not represent the association. “Personally, it seems like another opportunity for the Conservatives to waive their own flag.”

VAC spokeswoman Janice Summerby told iPolitics her department was doing its best to care for ex-soldiers and taking “unprecedented steps” to improve benefits.

She added that VAC had 640,000 Facebook likes.

Liberal veterans’ affairs critic Sean Casey said the survey results reflect the government’s poor performance on the file, adding that jobs cuts at VAC and and the expenditure of “millions of dollars on spin, propaganda and self-promotion” have turned the business of taking care of veterans into a “disgrace.”